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European Union launches call for proposals for Human Rights projects in India

Will provide 8.4 crores to support projects.

Marking the International Human Rights Day, the European Union today launched a call for proposals for India in the field of Human Rights. Under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, the European Union will provide EURO 1.2 million (INR 8.4 crores) for the selected projects.

The selected projects under this call will have three broad objectives (i) strengthening the capacities of Civil Society Organizations to protect and promote human rights (ii) support the National Human Rights Institutions in fulfilling their mandate (iii) and building synergies between state, national and international human rights institutions.

Commenting on the occasion, Ambassador Dani�le Smadja, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to India said, "This initiative is an expression of our commitment to the promotion of human rights, a value we share with India. It is also an acknowledgement of the role civil society organizations play, while underlining our support to the institutions operating in this field."

The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) is designed to support worldwide small-scale and innovative actions by Civil Society organisations and National Human Rights Institutions in the field of human rights and democracy.

Both Civil Society Organisations and National Human Rights Institutions (including International and regional inter-governmental organisations) are eligible to apply under this call for proposals.

European Union's continuous cooperation with India in the field of human rights

In India, the European Union has funded, since 2000, a number of projects addressing issues of Rule of Law, Torture & Impunity, Human Rights Education, Trafficking and Rights of Minorities, Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized groups, for an amount totalling over 11 Million EURO (or INR 75 crores). The projects have covered monitoring violation of human rights, providing legal aid and services, awareness generation, advocacy, empowerment and capacity building of local communities, human rights defenders and national institutions, ehabilitation of victims of torture, trafficking and child labour etc.